A Different Spin on Our Storms
The “storms of life” analogy is ancient but it has stood the test of time because we all understand the phrase. Think of the story of the disciples in the boat when the storm came up and Jesus was napping. They woke Him up when they became fearful that they might die. As the account is given, Jesus wakes up, stands up, and rebukes the storm. That happens at the end of Mark 4.
Even though there is a chapter break, look at the first thing written in Mark 5. We find the story of Legion. The man with many demons who lived in a graveyard, cut himself with stones, and cried out like an animal. When He saw Jesus get out of the boat, somehow his spirit knew Who He was, and the man managed to push his own will forward enough to fight off the demons and run to Christ.
As soon as the demons realize what the man is doing, they start bargaining with Jesus to not send them to Hell early before the final day. The man fell to his knees while the demons were scrambling to retreat. The beautiful ending takes place when the man returns to his home of sound mind and healed body back to his family.
What happens if you tie the storm story to the Legion story because, after all, just because the scribes put a chapter break, these scenes occurred in a real-time sequence. And if the storms naturally occurred, why would Jesus rebuke the wind and the waves in the same manner that He rebuked the demons? The elements obeyed Him just as the demons and both retreated without further threat.
Could it be that Satan could see Jesus coming and worked to stop Him so he could keep the man in the cemetery and continue placing his fear in all the locals? Could it be that Jesus knew the storm was not of His Father and something was up so that’s why He rebuked it? And that’s why He went to the other side of the lake and got out of the boat where the man could see Him?
If this is true, then could this also mean that some of the storms we face in life are an effort by the enemy to keep us from doing God’s work that is waiting for us on the other side of the storm? Puts a bit different spin on some of our crises, doesn’t it?
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. —1 John 3:8 NIV